My D20 was debating 2 schools for ED2 if ED didn’t work out - I feel like you couldn’t complete all the paperwork for ED2 until after the ED notification - but maybe that was a counselor/school requirement and not within common app. She had a crazy busy December so had all her apps done, but held off submitting regular decisions until after she heard. She could mentally be done, but it saved me a few hundred dollars.
August SAT scores are out! I’m so excited for D21 who finally has a standardized test score. She is securely in the 50% range of what we suspect are her ED choices. She improved her math score by 60 points from her first practice test!
She tells us she definitely wants to apply early, but has not named the school. We think she’s deciding between two, possibly three, and is reluctant to talk about it because she’s afraid to commit and face the fear of a rejection. Also, one of the schools is my alma mater, and her sister’s current school. I have not pressured her on this (and actually do not feel any personal need for her to go there), but I do think it would be a good fit. DH and I are okay with all three schools financially, so we are hanging back, although I am dying of curiosity (and so is D19)!
Anyway, she has decided to apply EA to SUNY New Paltz. This is a fairly comfortable school for her admission-wise, and very comfortable financially and geographically (2.5 hours away). We could only do a driving tour of campus due to Covid, but we’ve been hiking in the area many times. She loves the cute town of New Paltz and the natural beauty.
She’s not as far along as most kids on this thread on her common app, though . . . Her essay is still in rough draft, she hasn’t finished her supplements, and she is struggling with the 150 character limit on describing her activities. She really needs to focus for the next few weeks.
Despite all the remaining Covid uncertainties, I’m starting to feel like it’s reasonable to believe that by Fall 2021, our kids will be able to launch off to college! Looking forward to following their journey.
That was within walking distance of my old apartment, but I don’t remember it. There were so many good places to get that type of dessert I guess I never made it up there.
This is making me nostalgic. Maybe I can get D25 to apply to Cooper Union or NYU, and I can see if my old place is available. Actually the last time I was in the city I saw that it has been fixed up and is much nicer than when I lived there. Probably not in the student price range anymore. It was safe but had a much sketchier look in the 90’s. Dang gentrification!
@gotham_mom those kinds of statements by your D remind me of that commercial where the young couple says we are never moving out of the city, and then we are never buying a minivan…etc.
Of course I was one of those never moving out of the city or owning a minivan who did both lol…
Please forgive me, but I am so excited, and I can’t tell anyone IRL because S21 doesn’t want anyone to know. (Uh, dude, at least tell your GC.)
SAT - 1550. He thought he did well but didn’t say anything post test, and he is ecstatic. Downside is - I’m not sure a great score matters as much in this Covid year. I hope this will inspire him to focus on essays. His reaches are still “lotteries,” and so far he is not planning to ED.
@3SailAway, congratulations to your D! Exciting times ahead! Your D is not the only one still plowing through essay drafts and the CA. When did she take the August SAT? Trying to get a feel for how long the results are taking as my D is hoping to do one this Saturday and has two scheduled in October. Would love to be able to skip one of those if she gets a good-enough score.
Congratulations to your son, @SammoJ ! A 1550 will definitely matter!
@SammoJ congrats to your son. For any school that isn’t test blind, a 1550 seems certain to still be a useful part of an application.
I’m excited for those kids who are figuring out ED choices. @3SailAway and @dadof4kids and any others.
@inthegarden the collegeboard publishes the dates of SAT score notification online so you should be able to figure out when you’re going to get those scores. I recall when my S21 was still signed up for Oct 3 that the scores were scheduled to be released Oct 16. For some dates, the lag is longer.
@nichols51, thank you, I’ll check.
@tribegiant and @AlmostThere2018 I visited Mac with my older kid a few years ago - info session, campus tour, and student panel which included lunch. I thought it had a lot to offer. The location is really pleasant and is just a few miles to the airport. The airport’s big enough that there are nonstop flights to many locations. Running alongside campus is a wide boulevard with beautiful older homes and a 30 minute walk down it gets you to the Mississippi River where there is a network of hiking, running, and biking trails. The commercial area near the campus has the usual coffee and tea shops, restaurants, book stores. There’s a Whole Foods within walking distance - maybe 20 minutes away? The campus is compact and pleasant looking - red brick mostly. There’s an indoor track in the gym for when it’s too cold outside to run. Food was pretty typical college fare. The dorm room we saw was dated but very spacious and pleasant.
A lot of info sessions run together but this one I remember because they really emphasized the idea of global citizenship. They emphasize study abroad and also community service nearby. The student body is unusually diverse for a LAC, both domestic students of color and international students. Skews liberal - kids who like Vassar, Wesleyan, Oberlin, often apply to Mac as well. It has the added plus of being in a very nice established urban area with access to professional opportunities the Twin Cities afford.
@sammoj That 1550 certainly will matter! Congrats!
Just got S21’s SAT: 1570!
HS has a Sr only ACT scheduled for Oct. If it happens (he’s remote til Jan1), he’ll do a little prep but no stress.
The best news is that now he can really focus on completing his essays, his Eagle project and scholarship apps. Oh… and high school 
Congratulations to all the kids with a score they are happy with!
@seoace, congrats to your son! If I were your son I wouldn’t sacrifice a fall morning for that ACT. 1570 concords with a 36! Go hiking, carve pumpkins or sleep very late that day?
@seoace @sammijo and @3SailAway congrats for the awesome scores!!! Love hearing good news!
I just looked at D’s soccer schedule for this spring. I’m assuming by April 1 or so she has all of her decisions. Even if I lean hard on her and she narrows it down to 3-4 by that weekend, we aren’t going to have a chance to do many if any visits. Starting then, pretty much every Tuesday and Thursday are soccer games until May 1, which is districts. 2-3 schools she is applying to will be an 8 hour car ride away (although reasonably close to each other). The rest are flights, and not necessarily grouped together.
It’s not that I am worried about her getting cut, she isn’t playing in college anyway and her coach is pretty understanding. But I also know she isn’t going to want to miss any games if she doesn’t have to, especially after missing all last spring.
I’m hoping she gets her ED, because I don’t know if we will even be able to schedule one visit, let alone 3-4. Maybe if she gets some EA’s we will try a visit early. We are both a bit indecisive as well, which doesn’t help.
Hopefully this will be a problem. It is also a distinct possibility that her only option is the safety 2 hours down the road, which will be a bit sad but I guess will avoid this logistical problem.
Overall I’m just slipping into high stress mode over this again. I really can’t wait until April 1 gets here.
D25 is also looking at boarding schools, which is a completely unknown world for us. Fortunately/unfortunately, I think it would be really good for her. Our local school was great for her siblings, but she is a bit of a fish out of water there and I think will get lost in the crowd. So that’s another whole set of applications and decisions to deal with this fall.
I think my girls are trying to kill me. The boys were a lot easier.
@dadof4kids - “One day at a time”, right?! I’m trying for that motto…so I hear you.
I’m very sorry that the stress is climbing already. Try to resist the pull to wonder about scheduling trips, etc. No doubt as acceptances reveal themselves your D will start having a better idea where/what she wants to be. And hopefully, anticipated Covid progress will help make those decisions a little less challenging. (With such limited info right now as to Fall 2021 college daily life, it’s really just a guess right now.)
And…I share all the above as if I’m cool, calm and collected…but I’m absolutely not. I will try to take my own advice. But yes, it’s hard.
I believe the majority of the parents on CC are all here largely BECAUSE we plan ahead and try to make decision trees, etc as we gather information relevant to our S/D. So, it’s obviously a source of discomfort for so many on CC to try and be patient and wait for things to unfold. Goes against our nature!!!
One day at a time…
@dadof4kids I understand completely. D21’s main EC will keep her so busy this April that she will have just enough time (I hope) to do her coursework well. I don’t see how she is going to fit in any college visits…but maybe colleges won’t have visitors this April anyway.
She knows to prioritize her list in her head ahead of time if at all possible, so if she doesn’t get into either of her Early choices she has her next favorites in order. There won’t be time for lengthy decision-making once spring rolls around. Then again, with college admissions being so who-knows-what this year, she might not get in anywhere but a safety/likely so the choice might be made for her.
@123Mom123 I too am one of those that gets stressed while waiting. I agree being patient probably goes against the nature of many on these forums. I find myself really really really looking forward to a first acceptance, hopefully within the next month or two (an EA submission). After that, I know D21 will feel better and so will I. D21 doesn’t need any additional stress coming unintentionally from me, so keeping a calm and patient demeanor is important (even if I have to fake it).
@3SailAway and @seoace, great job to your kids!
Thanks for the congrats, everyone! D21 is dyslexic and has always felt like she’s not as smart as her big sister (which is ridiculous) so it’s really great to see her pride. That was a lot of weekend mornings she spent studying.
@inthegarden , the scores took 3 weeks and 2 days. I don’t think they publish the score dates for SAT’s taken during the school day, so a good guess is probably around 3 weeks.
Best wishes to all test takers and all test optional kids, too.
Congrats to those who have been able to take a test and are pleased with their scores!
@dadof4kids Congrats on choosing a great ED school! Let me know if you have any questions